


HANNIBAL AD PORTAS

by sleeplessflower



Category: The Adventure Zone (Podcast)
Genre: F/M, Family, Memory Loss, births, births of his children, cildren, merle loses his memory
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-01-29
Updated: 2017-01-29
Packaged: 2018-09-20 15:48:56
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 856
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/9498980
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/sleeplessflower/pseuds/sleeplessflower
Summary: Hannibal was a Carthaginian military commander during the Punic Wars who, in the early 2nd century BC, led numerous devastating attacks against the Roman Empire. To the people of Rome, the threat of an attack from Hannibal soon made him something of a bogeyman, and as a result Roman parents would often tell their unruly children that Hanniabl ad portas—"Hannibal is at the gates"—in order to scare them into behaving properly.*And Merle had his own unique experiences, emotions and skills that were his own. He had a way with plants, a certain knack for the natural. An even through all his jokes and leiniance, he was still -- fairly -- devoted to Pan. He also had his children.His daughter and his son. Even though he’d been one to act negelctful, he loved them with all that his heart would allow.





	

**Author's Note:**

> So i was thinking about the most recent episode and i had to write this  
> listen i love merle and his kids its so hearwarming i just love merle in general  
> idk what the memories were but im p sure they were of the births, so thats what i wrote about  
> also griffin why didnt you go through the whole this again this was so much more emotion cmon man  
> anyway i can understand the fact that merle just agreed but i dont think its bc he doesnt like his kids

Children.

With most things in his group, most problems Merle had, Taako and Magnus could relate to some degree. Be it back pain, -- it took three years for Magnus to learn to lift with his legs, and by then it was too late -- poor memory -- Taako sometimes just ‘couldn’t be bothered’ as he’d put it -- or something else of a similar caliber, the tres horny really were a tres on it.

But of course, there were somethings only they each as an individual could understand. Magnus had the proficiency for woodworks, but not only that, he knew the true value of a family, and what it was like to lose that. Taako also knew loss, but in a different way. He had his cooking, but also his betrayal. He knew the inward sting of hating oneself for so long, for something that wasn’t even his fault.

And Merle had his own unique experiences, emotions and skills that were his own. He had a way with plants, a certain knack for the natural. An even through all his jokes and leniency, he was still -- fairly -- devoted to Pan. He also had his children.His daughter and his son. Even though he’d been one to act neglectful, he loved them with all that his heart would allow.

Now, Merle was going through the trials of wonderland, and he was faced with this. He’d lost and eye, he’d lost some of his sight, even through all that, he’d though he’d been doing rather well compared to his companions -- Takko had been half-crushed by a washing machine after all.

He heard what he would lose. It had reached his ears and swam around in his brain and his mind had clicked into gear and he’d answered immediately.  
Merle was getting on in years. That was no secret to anyone. He’d justified to himself that he’d forget his children’s births soon anyway. He didn’t want to know what the alternate punishment was.

I was just a few little memories anyway, wasn’t it? 

Before his memories were taken, he’d get to see them play out one last time.

A light blinded him, and it took a moment for his eye to adjust before he knew where he was. Merle took a breath.

He was in his beach hut, just off the coast of his clan. He watched as the door opened, he watched his younger self enter the hut and rush inside. A bible was clutched to his chest, and he brushed his hair out of the way as he rounded the corner into the bedroom. 

The memory snapped into the room, and Merle watched, as if in the corner of the room, as his older self rushed over to his wife’s side. He could hear a quiet coo from his younger self, and Merle braced himself for what was next.

A cry -- sharp and high -- rung through the hut. Merle remembered the way he’d flinched at it, the way Hekuba had assured him it just was babies did, the way she’d offered him the child, the way he took this tiny baby dwarf into his arms.

“What are we gonna name her?” Merle’s memory’s voice came through quiet, trying to shush the baby.

“Mavis.” Hekuba had replied. “After my grandmother.”

“I like that.” Merle had said. “Mavis.”

Another flash of light blinded Merle, and suddenly he couldn’t remember what he had just been watching.

Merle was brought to his senses by a cry. Not a baby’s cry however. This was the cry of a woman -- or, to be better put, a dwarf. Merle was once again in the corner of the room, in their bedroom. Merle’s younger self was crouched by Hekuba’s side as she hissed and panted in pain. Merle looked a little older -- grey whiskers were coming in, a few more wrinkles had set onto his face.

“Ohh - okay. Just-just breathe.” Merle’s younger self was saying, trying to level his breaths, exaggerating them for Hekuba to mimic.

“I am breathing!” Hekuba snapped back, sweat building on her brow.

Present Merle chuckled. That was always their relationship, and Merle held it firmly to his heart.

The memory jumped forward. It made Merle feel a little ill, and when his eye focused again, he was watching himself cradle a child.

“It’s a boy, so you get to name him this time.” Hekuba was smiling fondly, watching this small boy garble and scream.

Merle watched himself consider it for a moment.

“Mookie.” He’d said.

“M-Mookie?” Hekuba had replied, sounding a little annoyed.

“After my grandmother.” 

Merle watched Hekuba take the boy back and shake her head, chuckling. She had pecked Merle on the lips and…

A bright light flashed, and Merle was standing, looking at the wheel. He looked up at the elves, and they smiled. He looked over at Taako, and Magnus who gave Merle a worried look. 

What in Pan’s name were they moping about? Their sacrifices hadn’t been that bad, had they?

A sixth light turned green above the door, and the female elf clasped her hands together. 

“Wonderful!” She chimed. “That’s it then. Thank you! Go on through.”

**Author's Note:**

> tell me if you liked this pls !!!
> 
> im also not sure why i chose that quote for the title but it resonated w me for this situation


End file.
